Substrate transfer system and substrate processing system

1. A substrate transfer system comprising: a substrate transfer robot disposed in a robot installment area defined between a first apparatus and a second apparatus comprising an opening, the robot installment area including a plurality of side walls, the first apparatus including a plurality of cassettes disposed at different locations in the first apparatus and each configured to accommodate at least one substrate, the substrate transfer robot being configured to transfer the at least one substrate from each of the plurality of cassettes to the second apparatus via the opening, the substrate transfer robot comprising: a base stationary relative to the robot installment area; a hand configured to support the at least one substrate; and an arm rotatably mounted to the base about a center of rotation to move the hand, the arm and the hand supporting the at least one substrate being configured to rotate on a horizontal surface within a minimal rotation area of the substrate transfer robot such that an outer periphery of the minimal rotation area overlaps an inside of the second apparatus through the opening so as to transfer the at least one substrate from a first position in any one of the plurality of cassettes disposed in the first apparatus to a second position in the second apparatus through the opening, wherein the minimal rotation area is defined by a minimal rotation radius that is an outermost radius of the substrate transfer robot from the center of rotation when the substrate transfer robot is in a collapsed state, wherein the minimal rotation radius is larger than a first minimum distance between the center of rotation and a first side wall of the plurality of side walls, and wherein the minimal rotation radius is larger than a second minimum distance between the center of rotation and a second side wall of the plurality of side walls.

2. The substrate transfer system according to claim 1 , wherein the arm comprises a first arm configured to rotate on the horizontal surface about one end of the first arm as the center of rotation, and wherein the center of rotation of the first arm is at a position that faces the opening in plan view, and the substrate transfer robot comprises a minimal rotation radius larger than a distance between the center of rotation of the first arm and the second apparatus.

3. The substrate transfer system according to claim 2 , wherein the robot installment area is defined between a first wall and a second wall, the first wall being disposed at the first apparatus, the second wall being disposed at the second apparatus and approximately parallel to the first wall, and wherein the center of rotation of the first arm is closer to the first wall than to the second wall in plan view, and the substrate transfer robot comprises a minimal rotation radius larger than a distance between the center of rotation of the first arm and the second wall.

4. The substrate transfer system according to claim 2 , wherein the arm comprises a second arm comprising one end coupled to another end of the first arm, the second arm being configured to rotate on the horizontal surface relative to the first arm, wherein the hand is coupled to another end of the second arm and configured to rotate on the horizontal surface relative to the second arm, wherein the substrate transfer robot is configured to take a normal posture in which the first arm, the second arm, and the hand supporting the at least one substrate are superimposed over each other in plan view, and is configured to rotate within the minimal rotation area when the first arm rotates on the horizontal surface about the one end of the first arm as the center of rotation, and wherein with the substrate transfer robot taking the normal posture, at least one distance among a first distance between the center of rotation of the first arm and a distal end of the first arm, a second distance between the center of rotation of the first arm and a distal end of the second arm, and a third distance between the center of rotation of the first arm and a distal end of the at least one substrate supported by the hand is larger than the distance between the center of rotation of the first arm and the second apparatus in plan view.

5. The substrate transfer system according to claim 4 , wherein the first distance, the second distance, and the third distance are approximately equal to each other, and each of the first distance, the second distance, and the third distance is larger than the distance between the center of rotation of the first arm and the second apparatus.

6. The substrate transfer system according to claim 4 , wherein when the substrate transfer robot transfers the at least one substrate from the first position in the first apparatus to the second position in the second apparatus, the substrate transfer robot is configured to fold the first arm and the second arm together and protrude the arm into the second apparatus through the opening.

7. The substrate transfer system according to claim 6 , wherein the substrate transfer robot is configured to transfer the at least one substrate while keeping a center of the at least one substrate along an imaginary line that is approximately parallel to the second apparatus in plan view, so as to fold the first arm and the second arm together and protrude the arm into the second apparatus through the opening.

8. The substrate transfer system according to claim 7 , wherein the substrate transfer robot is configured to rotate the hand supporting the at least one substrate relative to the second arm from a state in which the hand supports the at least one substrate at the first position in the first apparatus so as to take a first intermediate posture in which the center of the at least one substrate is on the imaginary line, wherein the substrate transfer robot is configured to move from the first intermediate posture while keeping the center of the at least one substrate along the imaginary line so as to change into a second intermediate posture in which the first arm and the second arm are folded together, and wherein the substrate transfer robot is configured to move from the second intermediate posture so as to transfer the at least one substrate to the second position in the second apparatus.

9. The substrate transfer system according to claim 7 , wherein the robot installment area is defined between a first wall and a second wall, the first wall being disposed at the first apparatus, the second wall being disposed at the second apparatus and approximately parallel to the first wall, and wherein the imaginary line is at approximately a same distance from the first wall and the second wall.

10. The substrate transfer system according to claim 4 , wherein the first apparatus is configured to accommodate a plurality of substrates at different positions in plan view, and wherein the substrate transfer robot is configured to transfer any one substrate among the plurality of substrates in the first apparatus to the second position in the second apparatus such that with the one substrate partially beyond the opening, the first arm and the second arm are folded together and oriented in one direction that is approximately orthogonal to a direction that is from the center of rotation of the first arm to the second position in the second apparatus.

11. The substrate transfer system according to claim 5 , wherein when the substrate transfer robot transfers the at least one substrate from the first position in the first apparatus to the second position in the second apparatus, the substrate transfer robot is configured to fold the first arm and the second arm together and protrude the arm into the second apparatus through the opening.

12. The substrate transfer system according to claim 3 , wherein the arm comprises a second arm comprising one end coupled to another end of the first arm, the second arm being configured to rotate on the horizontal surface relative to the first arm, wherein the hand is coupled to another end of the second arm and configured to rotate on the horizontal surface relative to the second arm, wherein the substrate transfer robot is configured to take a normal posture with the first arm, the second arm, and the hand supporting the at least one substrate superimposed over each other in plan view, and is configured to rotate within the minimal rotation area when the first arm rotates on the horizontal surface about the one end of the first arm as the center of rotation, and wherein with the substrate transfer robot taking the normal posture, at least one distance among a first distance between the center of rotation of the first arm and a distal end of the first arm, a second distance between the center of rotation of the first arm and a distal end of the second arm, and a third distance between the center of rotation of the first arm and a distal end of the at least one substrate supported by the hand is larger than the distance between the center of rotation of the first arm and the second apparatus in plan view.

13. The substrate transfer system according to claim 12 , wherein the first distance, the second distance, and the third distance are approximately equal to each other, and each of the first distance, the second distance, and the third distance is larger than the distance between the center of rotation of the first arm and the second apparatus.

14. The substrate transfer system according to claim 13 , wherein when the substrate transfer robot transfers the at least one substrate from the first position in the first apparatus to the second position in the second apparatus, the substrate transfer robot is configured to fold the first arm and the second arm together and protrude the arm into the second apparatus through the opening.

15. The substrate transfer system according to claim 12 , wherein when the substrate transfer robot transfers the at least one substrate from the first position in the first apparatus to the second position in the second apparatus, the substrate transfer robot is configured to fold the first arm and the second arm together and protrude the arm into the second apparatus through the opening.

16. The substrate transfer system according to claim 15 , wherein the substrate transfer robot is configured to transfer the at least one substrate while keeping a center of the at least one substrate along an imaginary line that is approximately parallel to the second apparatus in plan view, when the substrate transfer robot folds the first arm and the second arm together and protrudes the arm into the second apparatus through the opening.

17. The substrate transfer system according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate transfer robot comprises a height direction, and the hand and the arm are configured to move in the height direction, wherein the first apparatus is configured to accommodate a plurality of substrates at different height positions in the first apparatus, and wherein the opening is open from a first height position through to a second height position, the first height position corresponding to a position at which the hand and the arm support one substrate, among the plurality of substrates, that is at a lowest position among the different height positions in the first apparatus, the second height position corresponding to another position at which the hand and the arm support another substrate, among the plurality of substrates, that is at a highest position among the different height positions in the first apparatus.

18. The substrate transfer system according to claim 1 , wherein the first apparatus comprises a third position farther from the substrate transfer robot than the first position in plan view, wherein the substrate transfer robot comprises a height direction, and the hand and the arm are configured to move in the height direction within a movable range, wherein the opening has a height range smaller than the movable range, wherein the first apparatus is configured to accommodate a plurality of substrates at the third position, and wherein when the substrate transfer robot transfers one substrate among the plurality of substrates at the third position, the substrate transfer robot is configured to pull the one substrate out of the first apparatus, and move the hand and the arm in the height direction so as to protrude the arm into the second apparatus through the opening.

19. The substrate transfer system according to claim 1 , wherein the first apparatus includes the first side wall, wherein the second apparatus includes the second side wall opposite to the first side wall to define the robot installment area between the first side wall and the second side wall, wherein the minimal rotation area is defined about the center of rotation by at least one of the hand, the arm and the at least one substrate supported by the hand, and wherein the substrate transfer robot is configured to take out the at least one substrate from the first apparatus so that the outer periphery of the minimal rotation area overlaps the inside of the second apparatus through the opening.

20. The substrate transfer system according to claim 1 , wherein the second apparatus includes the first side wall and the second side wall.

21. The substrate transfer system according to claim 20 , wherein the first side wall comprises a first opening, and wherein the second side wall comprises a second opening.

22. A substrate processing system comprising: a first apparatus including a plurality of cassettes disposed at different locations in the first apparatus and each configured to accommodate at least one substrate; a second apparatus comprising an opening; and a substrate transfer robot disposed in a robot installment area defined between the first apparatus and the second apparatus, the robot installment area including a plurality of side walls, the substrate transfer robot being configured to transfer the at least one substrate from each of the plurality of cassettes to the second apparatus via the opening, the substrate transfer robot comprising: a base stationary relative to the robot installment area; a hand configured to support the at least one substrate; and an arm rotatably mounted to the base about a center of rotation to move the hand, the arm and the hand supporting the at least one substrate being configured to rotate on a horizontal surface within a minimal rotation area of the substrate transfer robot such that an outer periphery of the minimal rotation area overlaps an inside of the second apparatus through the opening so as to transfer the at least one substrate from a first position in any one of the plurality of cassettes disposed in the first apparatus to a second position in the second apparatus through the opening, wherein the minimal rotation area is defined by a minimal rotation radius that is an outermost radius of the substrate transfer robot from the center of rotation when the substrate transfer robot is in a collapsed state, wherein the minimal rotation radius is larger than a first minimum distance between the center of rotation and a first side wall of the plurality of side walls, and wherein the minimal rotation radius is larger than a second minimum distance between the center of rotation and a second side wall of the plurality of side walls.

23. The substrate processing system according to claim 22 , wherein the substrate transfer robot comprises a height direction, and the hand and the arm are configured to move in the height direction, wherein the first apparatus is configured to accommodate a plurality of substrates at different height positions in the first apparatus, and wherein the opening is open from a first height position through to a second height position, the first height position corresponding to a position at which the hand and the arm support one substrate, among the plurality of substrates, that is at a lowest position among the different height positions in the first apparatus, the second height position corresponding to another position at which the hand and the arm support another substrate, among the plurality of substrates, that is at a highest position among the different height positions in the first apparatus.

24. The substrate processing system according to claim 22 , wherein the first apparatus includes the first side wall, wherein the second apparatus includes the second side wall opposite to the first side wall to define the robot installment area between the first side wall and the second side wall, wherein the minimal rotation area is defined about the center of rotation by at least one of the hand, the arm and the at least one substrate supported by the hand, and wherein the substrate transfer robot is configured to take out the at least one substrate from the first apparatus so that the outer periphery of the minimal rotation area overlaps the inside of the second apparatus through the opening.

25. The substrate processing system according to claim 13 , wherein the second apparatus includes the first side wall and the second side wall.

26. The substrate processing system according to claim 25 , wherein the first side wall comprises a first opening, and wherein the second side wall comprises a second opening.

27. A substrate transfer robot comprising: a base stationary relative to a robot installment area defined between a first apparatus and a second apparatus comprising an opening, the robot installment area including a plurality of side walls, the first apparatus including a plurality of cassettes disposed at different locations in the first apparatus and each configured to accommodate at least one substrate; a hand configured to support the at least one substrate; and an arm rotatably mounted to the base about a center of rotation to move the hand, the hand and the arm being configured to transfer the at least one substrate from each of the plurality of cassettes to the second apparatus via the opening, the arm and the hand supporting the at least one substrate being configured to rotate on a horizontal surface within a minimal rotation area of the substrate transfer robot such that an outer periphery of the minimal rotation area overlaps an inside of the second apparatus through the opening so as to transfer the at least one substrate from a first position in any one of the plurality of cassettes disposed in the first apparatus to a second position in the second apparatus through the opening, wherein the minimal rotation area is defined by a minimal rotation radius that is an outermost radius of the substrate transfer robot from the center of rotation when the substrate transfer robot is in a collapsed state, wherein the minimal rotation radius is larger than a first minimum distance between the center of rotation and a first side wall of the plurality of side walls, and wherein the minimal rotation radius is larger than a second minimum distance between the center of rotation and a second side wall of the plurality of side walls.

28. The substrate transfer robot according to claim 27 , wherein the first apparatus includes the first side wall, wherein the second apparatus includes the second side wall opposite to the first side wall to define the robot installment area between the first side wall and the second side wall, wherein the minimal rotation area is defined about the center of rotation by at least one of the hand, the arm and the at least one substrate supported by the hand, and wherein the arm and the hand is configured to take out the at least one substrate from the first apparatus so that the outer periphery of the minimal rotation area overlaps the inside of the second apparatus through the opening.

29. The substrate transfer robot according to claim 23 , wherein the second apparatus includes the first side wall and the second side wall.

30. The substrate transfer robot according to claim 29 , wherein the first side wall comprises a first opening, and wherein the second side wall comprises a second opening.

31. A substrate transfer system comprising: a substrate transfer robot disposed in a robot installment area defined between a first apparatus and a second apparatus, the first apparatus including a plurality of cassettes disposed at different locations in the first apparatus and a first wall, the plurality of cassettes being each configured to accommodate at least one substrate, the second apparatus including a second wall opposite to the first wall to define the robot installment area between the first wall and the second wall, the substrate transfer robot being configured to transfer the at least one substrate from each of the plurality of cassettes to the second apparatus, the substrate transfer robot comprising: a base stationary relative to the robot installment area; a hand configured to support the at least one substrate; and an arm rotatably mounted to the base to move the hand, the arm including a first arm rotatably mounted to the base at a first end about a center of rotation, the first arm having a second end rotatably connected to another component of the substrate transfer robot about an axis, the axis being a first point of articulation along the arm from the center of rotation to the hand, the first arm having a length longer than a minimum distance defined between the center of rotation and the first wall and a minimum distance defined between the center of rotation and the second wall in plan view.

32. The substrate transfer system according to claim 31 , wherein the second wall includes an opening, and wherein the center of rotation of the first arm is at a position that faces the opening in plan view, and the substrate transfer robot comprises a minimal rotation radius larger than a distance between the center of rotation of the first arm and the second apparatus.

33. The substrate transfer system according to claim 32 , wherein the second wall is disposed at the second apparatus and approximately parallel to the first wall, and wherein the center of rotation of the first arm is closer to the first wall than to the second wall in plan view, and the substrate transfer robot comprises a minimal rotation radius larger than a distance between the center of rotation of the first arm and the second wall.

34. The substrate transfer system according to claim 33 , wherein the arm comprises a second arm comprising one end coupled to another end of the first arm, the second arm being configured to rotate on a horizontal surface relative to the first arm, wherein the hand is coupled to another end of the second arm and configured to rotate on the horizontal surface relative to the second arm, wherein the substrate transfer robot is configured to take a normal posture in which the first arm, the second arm, and the hand supporting the at least one substrate are superimposed over each other in plan view, and is configured to rotate within the minimal rotation area when the first arm rotates on the horizontal surface about the one end of the first arm as the center of rotation, and wherein with the substrate transfer robot taking the normal posture, at least one distance among a first distance between the center of rotation of the first arm and a distal end of the first arm, a second distance between the center of rotation of the first arm and a distal end of the second arm, and a third distance between the center of rotation of the first arm and a distal end of the at least one substrate supported by the hand is larger than the distance between the center of rotation of the first arm and the second apparatus in plan view.

35. The substrate transfer system according to claim 34 , wherein the first distance, the second distance, and the third distance are approximately equal to each other, and each of the first distance, the second distance, and the third distance is larger than the distance between the center of rotation of the first arm and the second apparatus.

36. The substrate transfer system according to claim 34 , wherein when the substrate transfer robot transfers the at least one substrate from the first position in the first apparatus to the second position in the second apparatus, the substrate transfer robot is configured to fold the first arm and the second arm together and protrude the arm into the second apparatus through the opening.

37. The substrate transfer system according to claim 36 , wherein the substrate transfer robot is configured to transfer the at least one substrate while keeping a center of the at least one substrate along an imaginary line that is approximately parallel to the second apparatus in plan view, so as to fold the first arm and the second arm together and protrude the arm into the second apparatus through the opening.

38. The substrate transfer system according to claim 37 , wherein the substrate transfer robot is configured to rotate the hand supporting the at least one substrate relative to the second arm from a state in which the hand supports the at least one substrate at the first position in the first apparatus so as to take a first intermediate posture in which the center of the at least one substrate is on the imaginary line, wherein the substrate transfer robot is configured to move from the first intermediate posture while keeping the center of the at least one substrate along the imaginary line so as to change into a second intermediate posture in which the first arm and the second arm are folded together, and wherein the substrate transfer robot is configured to move from the second intermediate posture so as to transfer the at least one substrate to the second position in the second apparatus.

39. The substrate transfer system according to claim 37 , wherein the second wall is disposed at the second apparatus and approximately parallel to the first wall, and wherein the imaginary line is at approximately a same distance from the first wall and the second wall.

40. The substrate transfer system according to claim 34 , wherein the first apparatus is configured to accommodate a plurality of substrates at different positions in plan view, and wherein the substrate transfer robot is configured to transfer any one substrate among the plurality of substrates in the first apparatus to the second position in the second apparatus such that with the one substrate partially beyond the opening, the first arm and the second arm are folded together and oriented in one direction that is approximately orthogonal to a direction that is from the center of rotation of the first arm to the second position in the second apparatus.

41. The substrate transfer system according to claim 31 , wherein the substrate transfer robot comprises a height direction, and the hand and the arm are configured to move in the height direction, wherein the first apparatus is configured to accommodate a plurality of substrates at different height positions in the first apparatus, and wherein the opening is open from a first height position through to a second height position, the first height position corresponding to a position at which the hand and the arm support one substrate, among the plurality of substrates, that is at a lowest position among the different height positions in the first apparatus, the second height position corresponding to another position at which the hand and the arm support another substrate, among the plurality of substrates, that is at a highest position among the different height positions in the first apparatus.

42. The substrate transfer system according to claim 31 , wherein the first apparatus comprises a third position farther from the substrate transfer robot than the first position in plan view, wherein the substrate transfer robot comprises a height direction, and the hand and the arm are configured to move in the height direction within a movable range, wherein the opening has a height range smaller than the movable range, wherein the first apparatus is configured to accommodate a plurality of substrates at the third position, and wherein when the substrate transfer robot transfers one substrate among the plurality of substrates at the third position, the substrate transfer robot is configured to pull the one substrate out of the first apparatus, and move the hand and the arm in the height direction so as to protrude the arm into the second apparatus through the opening.

43. A substrate processing system comprising: a first apparatus including a plurality of cassettes disposed at different locations in the first apparatus and a first wall, the plurality of cassettes being each configured to accommodate at least one substrate; a second apparatus including a second wall opposite to the first wall to define a robot installment area between the first wall and the second wall; and a substrate transfer robot disposed in the robot installment area and configured to transfer the at least one substrate from each of the plurality of cassettes to the second apparatus, the substrate transfer robot comprising: a base stationary relative to the robot installment area; a hand configured to support the at least one substrate; and an arm rotatably mounted to the base to move the hand, the arm including a first arm rotatably mounted to the base at a first end about a center of rotation, the first arm having a second end rotatably connected to another component of the substrate transfer robot about an axis, the axis being a first point of articulation along the arm from the center of rotation to the hand, the first arm having a length longer than a minimum distance defined between the center of rotation and the first wall and a minimum distance defined between the center of rotation and the second wall in plan view.

44. A substrate transfer robot comprising: a base stationary relative to a robot installment area defined between a first apparatus and a second apparatus, the first apparatus including a plurality of cassettes disposed at different locations in the first apparatus and a first wall, the plurality of cassettes being each configured to accommodate at least one substrate, the second apparatus including a second wall opposite to the first wall to define the robot installment area between the first wall and the second wall; a hand configured to support the at least one substrate; and an arm rotatably mounted to the base to move the hand, the hand and the arm being configured to transfer the at least one substrate from each of the plurality of cassettes to the second apparatus, the arm including a first arm rotatably mounted to the base at a first end about a center of rotation, the first arm having a second end rotatably connected to another component of the substrate transfer robot about an axis, the axis being a first point of articulation along the arm from the center of rotation to the hand, the first arm having a length longer than a minimum distance defined between the center of rotation and the first wall and a minimum distance defined between the center of rotation and the second wall in plan view.